As we brace ourselves for the inevitable drop in temperature, our latest Scratch Beer comes at the perfect time – right before Old Man Winter rears his ugly head! Scratch #121 represents our take on the Wheat Bock, an amped-up wheat beer that has been “lagered,” or fermented and conditioned at low temperatures. This process gives the beer a smooth crispness, ultimately enhancing its overall texture and mouthfeel. Traditionally, Wheat Bocks are thicker, stronger, and often darker than typical wheat beers, yet they still maintain some the refreshing characteristics that most wheat beers exhibit. Chewy and robust, Scratch #121 elicits hints of lightly toasted grains, vanilla, and fresh baked bread. There’s also plenty of residual sweetness to balance out the 8.2% ABV. This beer will thaw you from the inside out and leave you feeling all warm and tingly!

Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Reviews by Birdmarg741:

A: Pours an almost transparent, beautiful deep red brown. The head is fairly substantial at pour, though it has pretty minimal retention. After about 30 seconds, all that remains is a thin lace outline that hovers alongside the glass edge.

S: The smell is pretty subtle. Light hints of wheat, banana, and slightly more predominantly - vanilla and maple.

T: Wheat is clearest with the initial gulp and reliable sweet aftertaste. Though this tastes like no other wheat beer I've had. It reminds me most of a barleywine. The creation is smooth and creamy on the back of the tongue while it tingles the sides and tip of the palate with gentle bitterness. Vanilla certainly comes through in the taste, while banana - I can't seem to find.

M: Medium to high carbonation. Certainly wakes up the mouth but the alcohol helps to make it warm and inviting, not overly stimulating.

O: Not being a fan of most wheat beers - I absolutely love this wheat bock. Has enough complexity to stand alone and be interesting, though its fuller body makes it a wonderful companion for food. Absolutely recommend. (1,093 characters)

A - Pours hazy brown with a one and a half finger tall white head, dissipating down to a light film, leaving spotty streaks of lace down the sides of the glass.

S - Smells of bready wheat, toffee and caramel sweetness, some light fruitiness and some mildly toasted grains. A simple nose with very little going on.

T - Starts off exactly like the nose suggests with the chewy wheat and mild sweetness and not much else. The fruitiness and the toasted grain round things out but are more bit players. Finish is much like the start, chewy sweetness, combining with some warming booze to linger on the palate after each sip.

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Chewy, sweet feel from start to finish makes it pretty easy to consume but it does pack a bit of a punch.

O - This is by no means a bad bock, I actually think it is pretty good. However, these bock's just don’t excite me anymore. With the exception of a few here and there they all seem to be identical. Nice to try but on to the next one. (1,040 characters)

Sampled on tap at the brewery and enjoyed from a growler three days hence.

Pours a hazy chestnut color that quickly evolves a high frothy head. But retention is poor, and lacing is minimal.

It has a nice toasted wheat nose, but the bouquet is fairly one-dimensional. There's banana there, too, dripped with a bit of toffee. I sense some orange and vanilla, too…the soft sweet scents come up more with warming, but not in a positive way.

The flavor is so highly toasted it's almost bitter atop the wheat-sweet. That angular element stays clean while the beer is cold, and makes it a nice drink. But warming makes for even more booze that lays heavy over the carbonation.

I found the mouthfeel to be the strongest character of this brew. It's thick and chewy with enough carbonation to make it interesting. The length allows a few herbal elements to come through in the aftertaste, which adds a small dose of complexity to a unilateral creation.

As long as it's kept cold, this beer drinks fine and works with a variety of foods. No complaints, certainly, but Troegs has elevated my expectations above what this one delivers. (1,130 characters)